[JJinCA]

“You can get pretty much the same services at any bank, but if you take care of your customers, everything else falls into place.” (Quote from Tom Meuser CEO El Dorado Savings)

My 88 year old Aunt moved in with me last October 2008, shortly thereafter she put me on her bank accounts.
A few weeks later she had me call El Dorado Savings Bank because she wanted to change the POD Beneficiary on one of the two $25,000.00 CD’s she had from my cousin to me. After many security questions, she spoke with Ryan James (Savings Supervisor) and told him her wishes. He said it was no problem he could take care of that for her right over the phone. We had it on speaker phone and gave him all of our information (including my Aunt’s new address, and phone number) until he finally said it was all taken care of.
My Aunt went downhill very quickly and passed away about 4 months later after a broken hip from a bad fall. While going through my Aunt’s belongings I found an unopened letter (sent to her old address) from Mr. James saying that he had made a mistake when he told us that we didn’t need to come into the bank to change the beneficiary.
Very upset my sister and I took my Aunt’s death certificate down to the bank and spoke first to Mr. James (who was sorry he told us the wrong info) and then to Lin Engberg. (Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager) She also was very sorry that Ryan told us the wrong information on the phone, but she would call us the following Monday after she spoke to the legal department to see how she can make this right………. She didn’t call.
When we called the bank we trusted what we were told, and now Mr. James mistake cost me around $30,000.00. More importantly, Mr. James knows what my Aunt’s wishes were and he is not following them.
Again, the day we talked to Mr. James on the phone, he asked for all of our information. New address, new phone number, even my social security number. Yet in his letter he states he didn’t have a good phone number.
For something so important why didn’t he send it to her new address that he took over the phone? Or call the new phone number?

March 2009
Took death certificate to the bank with letter (with wrong address) from Mr. James.
Lin was very sorry, she would see how to fix it.
She would talk to legal department and call us the following Monday.
Gave Lin again new phone number and new address.
Never heard from her….
Called was told Lin was on vacation

Sept. 3, 2009
2nd trip to El Dorado Savings
Lin still very apologetic, she said she had lost an employee and fell behind.
Gave another death certificate, and made a change of address again.
We were told she would get back with us in two weeks after she talked to legal and got statement from Ryan.
Never heard from her….. (again)

Sept. 25, 2009
Called was told Lin was on vacation again, so talked to Ryan
He told us that the legal department made a decision two weeks ago
Nothing they can do
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why didn’t Lin ever call us back?
Why didn’t anybody ever call us back?
Ryan was given all new contact info when he said he was changing beneficiary, yet sent letter to old address.
Why didn’t he call us to tell us to come in? (just had given him phone number and address)
Statements still are sent to wrong address to this day (after taking in death certificate twice)
Most importantly
Why didn’t Ryan (savings supervisor) know bank procedure?
His mistake cost us over $25,000.
He is going against my Aunt’s wishes that she told him
We trusted him






------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[excon]

Hello J:

I can't answer any of your questions, but it really doesn't matter WHY they did what they did. You need somebody who can cut through the muck. I'd hire me a good lawyer.

excon

[Fr_Chuck]

Vebal wishes for a will or at death have no legal binding or bearing.

Actually she needed to sign, not go down, they could have mailed a form to sign. That needed to be verified from the bank.

At this point I would sue the person who made the mistake personally and also the bank.

The bank has no choice but to give the actual CD to the person who is listed on the last form on file. But since all parties are admitting they were aware and made a error, the bank has admitted fault, so using the letters the bank has provided admitting that fault, you sue

[Just_Another_Lemming]

JJ, I just read your post from April of 2009. I can feel your frustration here. Unfortunately, no one here knows why Ryan mishandled this. I can tell you that no one returned your calls because they were hoping you will go away.

You received some very good advice here last year. I think it can't hurt for you to consult with a lawyer and see if you have any recourse in this matter. The suggestion that the conversation between your Aunt, you, and Ryan may have been recorded is a good idea to bring up when you speak with the lawyer. I don't know if you will get the money you feel is owed to you but unless you take action and speak with an attorney, you will just stay angry and frustrated.